After the balloon release… 5fm launch massive beach clean up campaign

Remember all the balloons that 5fm released in Cape Town last September sparking massive outrage? Well the South African radio station has just kicked off a new campaign to keep our beaches clean!

5FM is joining forces with three remarkable organisations to help them profile the importance of protecting the environment. The youthful radio brand will launch a pro-bono environmental campaign next week to support the ongoing efforts of Sea Shepherd, Clean C and the Two Oceans Aquarium to mobilise the 5FM community to help clean up Cape Town.

On 18th February 5FM invites all volunteers to join 5FM DJs in conducting the biggest beach clean-up South Africa has seen.

In September 2016 5FM’s attention was drawn to the harmful effects of plastics on bird and marine life and South Africa’s internationally envied beaches and oceans. This was after balloons were released at the station’s Cape Town Live Loud event.

“At that point we really saw a need to help our family and community understand the environmental impact of littering,” says Station Manager Justine Cullinan (known to the 5FM family and community as “The Bosslady”),

“It was a terrible error on our part and we felt it was essential to use the power of 5FM to draw attention to the harmful effects of plastics on our environment.”

The radio station uploaded a video to showcase “an amazing” moment during a concert on Heritage day but the backlash was nothing short of amazing.

Apparently South Africans care more about the environment than video views. And it seems the outrage has inspired the radio station to use their platform to do some good.

5FM has been hard at work planning an enormous beach clean-up in partnership with Clean C, an organization that runs regular beach clean-up events and has removed over 200 tons of litter from South Africa’s beaches since 2010.

Clean C’s Greg Player says, “We run a clean-up on the beaches of Cape Town on the first Saturday of every month and work to uplift communities so they can understand and take ownership of their roles in sustaining our environment.”

This is echoed by Rosie Kunneke of Sea Shepherd who says, “’Our oceans are dying and Sea Shepherd is fighting against that every day.”

“One of the biggest destructive forces is pollution and that’s why we are really happy to be part of this campaign – to educate people about the devastating effect pollution and other factors have on our oceans and the sea life inhabiting it.”

5FM will also be broadcasting its 5FM Charts show hosted by Nick Hamman from the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town on the 18th February.

The Aquarium promotes the reduce, reuse and recycle philosophy, demonstrating how each and every person can contribute to keeping oceans clean and safe for marine life.

Two Oceans Aquarium’s Hayley McLellan says, “We are delighted that 5FM is going to be broadcasting from our wonderful underwater world on the 18th February. We will do all we can to help them get these important environmental messages out to their community.”

5FM and its valued partners encourage the 5FM community to get involved by joining the beach clean-up on the 18th February and paying a visit to its broadcast at the Aquarium. Specific details about how to get involved and the sites for the clean up will be shared online and on-air in the coming weeks.

The station will be carrying messages, free of charge, for all three of these organisations over the next month to give its community all the information they need to get involved in worthy causes. Keep listening to 5FM for details. When you live loud, someone else lives better.

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Brent Lindeque is the founder and man in charge at Good Things Guy.
Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.